HOTEL PROVINCIAL

Often regarded as one of the Big Easy's best kept secrets, the Hotel Provincial in the heart of the French Quarter stands less than three blocks from boisterous Bourbon Street and the famous Café du Monde, and 10 blocks from the Victorian shops and cafes of the Riverwalk. Two blocks away, Jackson Square serves as home to countless street musicians and clairvoyants, as well as some of the city's most historic buildings. One of the oldest is the Cabildo, where the Louisiana Purchase was signed in 1803. Here, streets lined with wrought iron balconies and shaded courtyards ooze Old World charm, while elegant antique shops on Royal and Chartres streets draw shoppers bent on browsing and buying. Entering the Provincial, with its checkerboard marble floors and tall windows, is like stepping into an antebellum world with air conditioning. The hotel comprises landmark buildings that include a former military hospital and early 1800s living quarters. Guests will find the charms of a hidden French Quarter courtyard, which surrounds four outdoor garden patios, with swimming pools. For one of the most unique names for restaurants and regional cuisine, guests should check out the hotel's Stella!, named after one of the characters and Marlon Brando's classic line in A Streetcar Named Desire, the movie set in New Orleans. Vacationers can mix with locals at the hotel's Cafe Beignet, an inexpensive street café, which dishes up beignets and muffulettas, and kick back in the postage stamp Honfluer Bar. Exuding a relaxing ambience, guest rooms come complete with French Creole style antique furniture, plush mattresses, feather pillows, floral prints and Internet access. With its boffo location in the French Quarter and persnickety attention to detail and history, the Hotel Provincial remains a fav of travelers seeking those special experiences while in N' 'leans. &nbsp